20 January 2006

It was a bittersweet trip to India this time. So much crammed into five weeks and I was fool enough to think when I left that 5 weeks was ample time......some of the things I did, which I consider noteworthy, in no sort of order whatsoever......

1. Completed long-awaited giri valam in Thiruvannamalai, barefoot.

2. Dining out: Plenty, but still not as many as I would have liked. Maximum eating out in the newly-opened Saravana Bhavan in Mylapore (so new, I could still smell the paint). Restaurants highly recommended by me: Utsav (Hyd), Olives (Deccan Plaza, Chn). Of course, me being me, they are all vegetarian restaurants.

3.School re-unions attended: One major one - Vidya Mandir's 50th alumni bash on Dec 25, 2005, along with my brother, who is also ex-VM.

4. Movies: In the theatre: 'Bluffmaster'(in Hyd) and 'Aaru' (in Tiruvannamalai). Brilliant jobs by Abishek and Surya, but far too much violence in Tamil films nowadays. Not to mention tonal volume of lead actors in the Tamil movie, which ended up being unbearably loud.

5. Catching up with friends: The amount of time and quality of catch-ups was satisfactory with most friends, but still, some more time would have been great.

6. Family time: Good, once again more would have been better. But this was lots better than none.

7. Shopping: After deciding not to, I did go a little overboard. Loved the Charminar shopping especially. And also loved the fact that I didn't have to pay for most of what I bought:)

8. Temple time: Great, managed about 10 temples. I did have a couple more on my list, but hey, that's for next time. One of them inclues being in Mylapore for the 'Aruvathimoovar' fest, which happens in March, but that will be a tricky time of the year.....

9.Eating amma's cooking: Total disaster this time. Got hardly any of it. Firstly no gas cylinder for a few days. Secondly, the fact that all of us kept falling sick. And lastly, too little time.

10. Falling sick: Happened even to me, a hardened Chennaite/Indian, this time. I could not believe it. But even the locals were not spared by a severe virus that hit Chennai in the aftermath of the deluge. So, how could I and the kids hope to be spared?

*********************On going through this, I see the whole thing has a strong tinge of 'if only I had had more time'. That probably needs to be ignored as 5 weeks is probably as long as I am going to get in the near future! If only NZ wasn't so far away from India!

A fan of olives and the United Nations, you'd love to teach theworld to sing in perfect harmony. You like stretching your legs at major events,and have done your best to ward off floods when the waters have risen. All thisrunning around leaves you exhausted, and it often seems you can never quite getthe peace you so dearly crave. You really like to take showers.

...and hating every minute in spite of hugs and morning tea in my honour. A truly NRI plight this and happens after every visit back home....

Anyways, I am

You're The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!

by Douglas Adams

Considered by many to be one of the funniest people around, you arequite an entertainer. You've also traveled to the far reaches of what you deem possible. Life continues to jostle you around like a marble,but it's shown you so much of the world that you don't care. Wacky adventures continue tolie ahead. Your favorite number is 42.